The 1994 Formula 1 season hasn’t been remembered for Michael Schumacher winning the first of his seven world championships for Benetton.
Instead, it was marred by tragic events with Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger losing their lives at the San Marino Grand Prix early in the season.
The following race was held at Monaco and dominated by Michael Schumacher but the sport witnessed another huge accident.
Karl Wendlinger had a huge accident during free practice at the Nouvelle Chicane, knocking him unconscious and he remained in a coma for several weeks.
The 55-year-old returned to action the following year and in an interview with the Beyond The Grid Podcast, has been reflecting on his time in Formula 1.
He raced on 41 occasions, scoring 14 points across his time with Leyton House, March and Sauber.
Wendlinger was also asked who he believed he was most like on the current F1 grid and believed it was Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
The Spaniard – who has 21 podiums to his name – is in a precarious position right now having lost his seat at Ferrari for next season.
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Karl Wendlinger thinks Carlos Sainz is current F1 driver most like him
Wendlinger began his career racing in Germany and Austria, winning the Austrian F3 Championship in 1988.
The following year he won the German equivalent, putting him on the radar of several Formula 1 teams.
Sauber Mercedes signed him up in 1990 for the Worlds Sportscar Championship and the following season his performances had caught the attention of Leyton House.
The British team brought in Wendlinger for the final two races of the 1991 season to replace the experienced Ivan Capelli and earned a full-time race seat with the team when they were taken over by March in 1992.
Wendlinger finished 12 in the Drivers’ Championship that year, scoring three points – but was similar to how he got into Formula 1 – he was dropped for the final two races for Jan Lammers, a Dutch driver who last drove in F1 10 years beforehand.
The 1993 campaign was the only year Wendlinger completed an uncompleted season in F1, racing for Sauber and once again finishing 12 before his huge accident at Monaco.
He struggled to return to the same levels as before his accident and was dropped by Sauber before the race in Monte Carlo in 1995, racing just twice more at the end of the campaign.
Wendlinger was then reflecting on the current F1 grid and admitted that he saw similarities between his driving style and that of Carlos Sainz.
The 29-year-old has had a lot more success than the Austrian although Wendlinger will argue that he got the opportunity to drive a car as quick as Sainz’s during his short Formula 1 career.
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Carlos Sainz faces an uncertain future in Formula 1
Karl Wendlinger was asked who on the current grid reminds him of himself and said: “Of me?”
Journalist Tom Clarkson suggested Max Verstappen and Wendlinger replies: “No, he’s too good! He’s too good to remind me of me, everybody’s different.”
Clarkson then says Carlos Sainz reminds him of Wendlinger and the Austrian says: “Maybe yes. He’s fast, competitive, but still a bit quiet, technical yeah.
“It’s a good name, absolutely!”
Wendlinger never seemed to have a settled home in F1 and now Sainz is searching for his next team on the grid.
He’s at the top of Audi’s list ahead of their Formula 1 entry in 2026 but that would mean a season driving for the struggling Sauber team who are in a worse position than when Wendlinger drove for them.
Sainz would love to drive for Red Bull, but Max Verstappen looks set to stay put and Sergio Perez’s future is very much up in the air.
It’s a difficult position to be in, but it seems very unlikely that 2024 will be Sainz’s last in Formula 1.
The post ‘Absolutely’: Karl Wendlinger admits ‘technical’ 21-podium current F1 driver reminds him of himself appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
